A White Collar Christmas
by Kooro
Summary: Elizabeth sends Neal and Peter out Christmas shopping and the two decide to do some shopping of their own. Plus, there's a Christmas surprise for Neal too.
1. Chapter 1

**I wanted to make a Christmas fanfic of Neal and Peter. I also wanted to make one in which the fact that Peter is the one holding Kate hostage is nonexistent. I sure hope Peter is still a good guy.**

**Anywho, I've had this idea for a while and now I have the time to actually turn it into a story. It might go on after Christmas though. I had originally planned it to be short and sweet but, you know, once you start writing, the story kind of writes itself. So, it will still be sweet, just a little longer. **

**Hope you enjoy and a Merry ChristmaHanaKwanzakkah to you all. ^_^ **

A White [Collar] Christmas

_Chapter 1:_

"You want me to do what?"

Peter Burke stared wide-eyed at his wife in complete disbelief, his coffee cup hovering inches from his open mouth.

"You heard right," Elizabeth Burke chided, placing her hands on her hips in a scolding fashion.

"B-but," Peter stammered, lowering his cup of coffee, "it's already Christmas Eve."

Elizabeth sighed and slid into the dining table chair opposite Peter like an officer trying to ease a confession out of a convict in the interrogation room.

"The sale is only for today," she pleaded, "and I can't go because I have to help my mom find a Christmas turkey. After that I have to decorate the house and make our own Christmas turkey."

"How convenient for you," Peter grumbled, glaring down at the table.

"Hey, it's not my fault she forgot until the last minute."

"So did you."

"No, I have all my gifts ready and wrapped."

"Then why do I have to go?" Peter whined, sulking in his chair.

"Because, mister," Elizabeth stated firmly, waving her finger accusingly at her husband, "you have yet to buy _me_ a Christmas present."

Peter blanched and his eyes opened wide. He tried to sink lower into his chair, to just disappear from the daggers El was shooting in his direction.

It was true. He had forgotten to buy Elizabeth – his own wife – a Christmas present. Sure he had forgotten things in the past… like his honeymoon, but he had made up for it.

Now it was Christmas Eve. Shops were starting to close while traffic increased with the flurry of people who were also out doing last-minute Christmas shopping. And El wanted him to go out there amid the chaos of shoppers to buy her something.

It was a dangerous act, one that made him cringe.

Shopping.

Peter shivered.

"And don't try to wiggle your way out of this one," Elizabeth huffed. "I've been watching you lately and not once have I seen you enter this house with a present under your arm. I even checked the tree –" She waved her arm in the direction of the Christmas tree beautifully adorned in festive decor in the living room for emphasis "– not a single present."

"All right, all right," Peter sighed in defeat, "I'll go shopping." The word came out through gritted teeth.

Elizabeth's face brightened instantly as she jumped up from her chair to drape her arms around Peter.

"Thank you sweety," she cooed as she kissed his cheek.

Peter couldn't help but smile as he turned his head to catch El's lips with his own.

Giggling, she pulled away and started to clear up the table.

"Now take your time," she instructed from the kitchen sink. "I don't want you rushing and buying some cheap old thing."

She wiped her hands on her jeans and turned to smile at Peter. "You have to make sure it's perfect." She gave him a wink and moved out of the room towards the stairs.

"Oh," she said suddenly, her head popping back into Peter's view, "and bring Neal."

---

Peter took the steps two at a time as he raced up the stairs after Elizabeth. He sailed around the corner and skidded to a stop in the bedroom doorway, huffing angrily.

"What?" he growled.

Elizabeth was nonchalantly looking through the closet for a nice outfit to wear while shopping with her mother. She didn't even glance at Peter.

"Take Neal with you," she said simply.

"Yeah, I got that part." Peter snapped as he marched into the room. He planted his hands on either side of Elizabeth, trapping her between the closet and himself. "Why?"

Elizabeth stopped her search with a sad sigh and turned to fully face Peter, tilting her face up slightly to gaze back into his burning eyes.

"He's been in prison for four years," Elizabeth replied softly.

The anger washed clear from Peter, leaving an aching cold in the pit of his stomach that made his heart hurt.

"For four years, Neal has been stuck in prison without any friendly company let alone Christmas. And before that, he was too busy spending all of his time running from you to sit down and enjoy the holidays." Elizabeth reached up to cup Peter's face gently between her hands.

"His family never contacts him, if he even has a family, and the one person he does care about is missing." Elizabeth stroked Peter's face with her thumb.

"June…" Peter started but the rebuttal died in his throat.

Elizabeth shook her head. "June is a wonderful person and I'm sure she loves Neal, but she has her own family. You know as well as I that Neal won't want to burden her by staying while her family is over.

"It may not seem like much to you but, Peter, we're all that Neal has."

Peter gazed down softly at his wife. He dropped his arms to her waist and embraced her loosely. He knew she was right.

"I guess," Elizabeth continued, her warm eyes searching Peter's, "I just want him to have a real, family Christmas."

Peter sighed and dipped his head down to touch his forehead to Elizabeth's.

"All right," he said softly. "I'll bring Neal."

Elizabeth smiled and touched her lips to Peter's. "Don't forget to bring him back here for dinner."

"I won't," he promised.

"You're a good man," she said sincerely.

"Yeah, I know," Peter sighed as he pulled away.

He offered Elizabeth a farewell smile and left the room.

"Don't forget," Elizabeth shouted after him. "Get me something nice!"

**Ah yes, Christmas shopping. I myself have done some last-minute shopping. Not a treat. I do agree with Peter. Shopping is a bit of a horror. And all those people. Well… you'll see that in the upcoming chapters. **

**I do so love the brotherly relationship between Neal and Peter so of course I'd send them out shopping together. **

**Until next time,  
Hobey-ho**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's chapter two. I should warn you now that this story will probably continue on into New Year's. **

**But that shouldn't be a problem. It seems like you guys like it so far. Thanks for all the hits o' faithful readers. And the comments make my Christmas all the sweeter. Thanks. **

****Note**:**** I wanted to apologize for my previous misspellings of Neal's last name in my first **_**White Collar**_** fanfic. I looked on the USA website and found his last name is really spelled. "Caffrey".**

**Disclaimer: The characters of White Collar belong solely to the USA network. There, I said it. Don't sue me. **

A White [Collar] Christmas

_Chapter 2:_

"You want me to do what?"

Neal Caffrey stared at Peter with his brow raised in suspicious disbelief.

He had accepted the agent into his room but had had no idea that the gesture would be rewarded with a trip to the mall with said agent.

"Well, it was El's idea actually," Peter explained, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "So, what do you say?"

"Let me get this straight," Neal said, tapping his chin with his forefinger thoughtfully. "You want me to go shopping?"

Peter nodded.

"With you?"

Peter hesitated but nodded again, slower this time.

"Can I ask why?" Neal asked, crossing his arms in front of his chest as he rested his shoulder against the wall. A deviant smile crossed his lips.

Peter clenched his jaw. He knew Neal knew why. The ex-con was merely prolonging Peter's anguish for his own amusement. Cheeky little bastard.

"Well," Peter started, the word coming out a little too sharp. He cleared his throat and tried to soothe his growing exasperation with a deep breath. "El thought it would be a good bonding opportunity for the two of us to go out and buy presents."

"You forgot to get her a present didn't you?" Neal asked knowingly.

"It just completely slipped my mind," Peter admitted hurriedly.

Neal always knew how to get him to say what he was really thinking. It was hard to lie to the younger man.

Neal chuckled. "All right," he said. "I'll help you find something _decent_."

"What's that suppose to mean?" Peter asked defensively.

"It means I doubt your ability to find something appealing to the opposite sex."

"Watch it, Caffrey," Peter growled.

Neal shrugged nonchalantly but didn't add anything more. He knew when to stop his teasing when Peter used his last name.

"You do realize it's Christmas Eve though right?" Neal asked, grabbing his coat and ridiculous fedora hat from the coat rack by the door.

"Yeah," Peter grumbled.

"It's going to make shopping a little… interesting."

"Yeah," Peter muttered with a visible cringe.

Laughing, Neal led the way out of his room; an annoyed and sober Peter following him out, still muttering a stream of incoherent curses under his breath.

**A little Peter whumpage for ya. Next is the horrid shopping. Stay tuned. **

**Hey, did I tell you about my crossover dream? I know this is a weird place and time to mention it, but hey, strangers are the best people to talk to right? **

**Anywho, I recently had a dream that was a combination of ****Monk****, ****White Collar****, ****Bones****, and ****Doctor Who.**** Good dream: full of my favorite characters from my favorite shows. I was thinking of actually turning it into a fanfic. I might just turn out pretty good. Who knows?**

**Anyway,  
Hobey-Ho**


	3. Chapter 3

**Ah, good ol' chapter three. Now the fun starts. Well, fun for me since I get to put Peter through the torturous act of shopping. Hope you enjoy it to.**

**As always, I **_**must**_** give thanks to my reviewers:**

**Thanks to ****ShadowWolfDagger****, ****seaoftrouble****, and ****Farrahmack**** for proving that people actually do read my bold ramblings and random thoughts. And I'm not entirely sure how I'm going to fit a Syfy ****Doctor Who**** into a drama ****Monk, Bones****, and ****White Collar****. But that's the joy of crossovers, right?... On second thought, maybe I won't make one.**

**Moving on:**

**I do have to give an apology to ****pfyre1**** for misusing the word "whumpage." Thank you for clarifying. I thought "whumpage"' meant teasing but now I know. So, it's not you, it's me. **

**And thank you for all the Christmas wishes and fanfic compliments. I really do enjoy them and I log on several times a day to read them. ^_^**

**Christmas is over and the fanfic goes on! **

A White [Collar] Christmas

_Chapter 3:_

The drive to the mall was mad as hell. Parking was crazy as hell. And Neal was annoying as hell.

By the time Peter and Neal actually reached the entrance to the mall, Peter was ready to whip out his gun and start shooting the pushy and impolite shoppers that swarmed around him, and Neal. His nerves were set so far on edge that his hands hurt from being clenched so hard. He glared at anyone who dared to glance in his direction and his lips were set in a permanent scowl that would make anyone think twice before coming near him.

Neal, however, was his complete opposite.

As soon as they entered the mall – Peter glared at the door greeter until the smiling man recoiled behind a rack of woman's dresses – Neal was bright-eyed and giddy as a child.

He looked all around, his eyes examining everything with curious intensity. A wide grin glowed on his face and his eyes sparkled. He squirmed with excitement, dancing around Peter in small circles in an attempt to see everything.

Peter grabbed hold of the younger man's arm and pulled him to his side. Neal resisted and tried to pull away towards a store that exhibited shining watches.

"Don't even think about it," Peter hissed loud enough for Neal to hear.

Neal looked back at him mournfully, like a boy who had been told he couldn't go into the toy shop.

"I want your pockets empty when we leave here," Peter ordered.

Of course Neal was acting so excited. The mall was best place to steal. And while Neal had previously stolen precious art, he could never pass up an opportunity to fill his pockets with a few choice valuables to satisfy his wallet.

"You don't touch anything," Peter continued in an authoritative tone. "And no running off. Understand?"

Neal rolled his eyes but stopped pulling against Peter's grip. "Yes Dad," he replied sarcastically.

"We're here to find a gift for El. That's it," Peter explained and released his hold on the ex-con. Neal smoothed his jacket and nodded in indifferent compliance.

"Good," Peter grunted and straightened. "Now, where to first?" he looked around, trying his best to stand firm amid the crowds of people that rushed at him at all sides.

Everything looked the same to him. It was all shops. Sure, one may have sold clothes and the other shoulder bags, but there were all still just stores. They sold materialistic things for an expensive price that usually wore down after a month or so. He didn't see the point. It was just stuff to him.

But he had to get something nice for El. Something she could actually appreciate and enjoy. But what?

"Any ideas, Neal?" Peter asked aloud.

He waited for a reply as he thought of something El would like.

He waited some more.

The only response was the constant clamor of voices and moving bodies around him. No sarcastic remark or teasing comment. Not even helpful hint.

"Neal?" Peter asked as he turned.

All he saw was more people.

"Neal!" he shouted above the thunderous cacophony of people.

Nothing.

He was going to kill that man. He was seriously considering it. There were plenty of people around. All he had to do was find Neal, aim and fire. He could easily get away in the panic. It was so simple. All his problems: over.

Pete marched forward, sliding into a current of moving bodies. Yeah, he was frustrated at Neal – hell, all of humanity at the moment – but that wasn't enough to kill the ex-con. His gun was just a hollow threat against Neal. He would never be able to actually point any sort of weapon at Neal. Despite the younger man's faults and traits that made Peter want to hit something, Peter did kind of like the kid. In a sense, they were partners, even if Peter didn't necessarily like being called such.

No, Neal wouldn't get a bullet to the gut or a fist to the jaw. All he'd get was a firm scolding. And Peter was positive that the ex-con knew it.

Peter sighed heavily in defeat. He looked up to the ceiling, gazing out at the crisp blue sky that shone down on him from the skylight above.

A flash of wavy brown hair under a dark blue fedora.

Peter blinked.

He definitely saw that.

He squinted at the figure lounging in front of a store window. Blue hat, chocolate brown hair, a slimming vintage suit. Yep, that was his guy.

Peter didn't waste his breath calling Neal's name. Instead, his pushed his way through the crowd in front of him, dipping and dodging, and jumped onto the escalator. He tried to ascend the electronic steps at a fast pace but the motionless line in front of him refused to budge and cast hateful glances back at him. So, he waited as patiently as possible to reach the second floor.

When he was finally free, he pushed forward towards the store where he had last seen Neal. The crowds were slightly thinner up here and his passage was a little easier.

He finally neared the shop. Thank the heavens Neal was still standing there, gazing longingly into the store.

"Ne –" Peter started to say but was cut off when he bumped into someone.

He bounced away from the person, muttering apologizes. He had been so focused on reaching Neal that he had forgotten to pay attention to where he was going.

He tried to straighten but a family with several small children surged towards him. Already off balance, the running children didn't help Peter as they rushed at him, completely oblivious to him.

A small girl was headed straight for him.

Peter spun around the child, not wanting to hit her and send them both tumbling to the ground.

The crowd of people ignored his flailing feet as he tried to regain balance and avoided his grasping hands as he tried to find something to steady him.

A final bump against the shoulder sent him spiraling backwards.

Peter gasped as he felt his feet fly out from under him. He closed his eyes in preparation for impact.

Instead, two strong hands slipped under his flailing arms and his back collided with something hard, yet far softer than the ground. His descent ceased as he was heaved back into a standing position.

Peter tottered on his feet and was threatened to be swept back into the flowing river of people but the hands latched onto his arm and steered him away from the crowd and into a quiet shop.

"You ok?" a concerned voice asked.

Peter looked up at his savior to see two glistening sapphires gazing back at him worriedly.

"Neal," he gasped.

"Are you ok?" Neal repeated slowly.

"What? Oh, yeah, I'm fine" Peter breathed as he ran a hand through his hair. He looked outside the shop to see the current of people still going, completely ignorant of his near fall.

He looked back at Neal gratefully. "Thanks."

Neal leaned back with a sigh. "Jeez. Can't take you anywhere can I?"

"Hey," Peter snapped back, "who's the one who ran off in the first place. Right after I had specifically told you not to."

Neal shrugged. "Sorry. I just saw this shop and had to see it. Dragging you along would have just slowed me down."

Peter shook his head disapprovingly. Still, Neal had dragged him to safety. He owed him that much.

Where was safety anyway?

Peter smoothed down his suit as he took a new interest in his surroundings.

He was standing in a vintage hat shop. It was fairly empty with just a few customers roaming the shelves more out of curiosity than with the desire to actually make a purchase. Hats of all styles and colors were exhibited on shelves and hat racks. No wonder the shop was empty. It was just a bunch of silly hats.

Peter looked back at Neal to ask if the younger man was ready to continue their mission, but Neal had already shifted his attention to something else.

He moved away from Peter and walked up to a locked display of fedora hats. Peter stared at Neal with a bemused shake of his head. What Neal saw in the old hats was beyond him. Peter personally thought that that fedora hat was a ridiculous accessory that made Neal looked all the more foolish and unprofessional.

But still Neal gazed at the hats with a sort of loving sparkle in his eyes. Peter moved closer to see that Neal was focused primarily on a hat set in the middle of the display. It was a black color. A silken, glossy black band wound around the base of the hat. Small white stitches decorated the band, creating delicate ripples in the black. The brim of the hat was lined in a soft white that seemed to glow in the light.

Even Peter had to admit, it was a nice hat.

He looked back at Neal. The younger man was gazing so longingly at the hat. His hand touched the glass in front of it gently.

"Come on, Neal," Peter urged kindly. "Let's keep moving."

Neal blinked as if waking from a trance and looked at Peter.

"Right," he said.

Peter nodded and started for the shop door. He stole a backward glance at Neal to see the ex-con giving the hat a final nod of respect and farewell. Then he was striding past Peter and back into the midst of the other shoppers.

Peter followed him out and they merged in with the flowing stream of people.

**Sorry this took so long to post. I was busy watching ****Sherlock Holmes****! Good movie. And the filming was creatively done. Full of action, mystery, and romance. And the ending, everything came together beautifully. I won't give you any spoilers, but I do suggest you watch it some time in the theaters to see everything on the big screen. **

**Well, enough of the "blog" or whatever you want to call it. I'll talk to ya next time in the next chapter.**

**Hobey-Ho**


	4. Chapter 4

A White [Collar] Christmas

_Chapter 4:_

"What do you think?" Peter asked.

Neal looked away from the display of sparkling rings to look at Peter.

"The earrings?" Peter asked holding up a pair of dazzling opal earrings with dangling white pearls. "Or the necklace?" he asked as he lowered the earrings to reveal a thin strand of twisting silver studded with minuscule diamonds. A large flower made of diamonds clung to the bottom of the silver chain.

Neal looked from one accessory to the other as Peter waited anxiously for the ex-con's input. When it came to high class jewelry, Peter knew that Neal was the right one to judge.

"They're both nice," Neal answered respectfully. "And they're both beautiful pieces of work."

"I'm sensing a 'but'," Peter noted skeptically as he lowered the necklace and earrings.

"But," Neal sighed, "They're not… 'El'."

"What do you mean?" Peter asked, genuinely confused and slightly annoyed that Neal seemed to know more about Peter's wife than Peter did.

"Well," Neal began thoughtfully, appraising the jewelry with an expert eye, "They're beautiful and I'm sure she'd think so too, but, buying such an expensive gift usually points out how you really had no idea what to get her so you just bought the most expensive thing you could find."

Peter shrugged. "That's kind of how it works for most guys doesn't it?"

"Maybe but, I think El wants something from the heart; something that shows you put thought into her gift," Neal explained with complete honesty. "That's just how women are."

"Women," Peter snorted. "With them, it's like strings are attached to everything."

Neal chuckled in understanding. But the light didn't reach his eyes. Peter noticed and looked quickly away. He knew exactly what woman Neal was currently thinking about.

"All right, so no jewelry?" he asked hurriedly, wanting to distract Neal from the thoughts of Kate.

"I wouldn't cross it off the list just yet," Neal offered, recovering with his usual smile so full of charm.

Peter sighed in exasperation. "Man, shopping shouldn't be this hard."

Peter returned the jewelry to the clerk and rubbed his temples with a groan.

"Not giving up are you?" Neal asked with a light smile.

"I can't," Peter grunted. "If I go home empty handed, El will just send me out again."

Neal laughed, causing the cloud over Peter's head to darken.

"Not helping," he growled threateningly.

"Sorry," Neal said, quickly stifling his laughter. "Maybe she'd like an old framed photo of the two of you. You know, something that brings back memories."

"Because nothing says 'I'm cheap' more than some old photo in a thrift shop frame," Peter sighed sarcastically.

"Hey, I can't be the only one coming up with ideas," Neal complained.

Peter sighed again. God he hated shopping. If he stayed at the mall any longer with Neal whining at his side, he was sure to get premature gray hair.

"Come on," he said tiredly, "let's try someplace else."

---

"You don't even know what kind of perfume she wears?" Neal asked in shock.

"Never really noticed and didn't see a point to ever ask," Peter answered in a low mumble.

The clerk behind the perfume counter offered a strained smile to be polite.

"Jeez, Peter," Neal sighed, slapping a hand to his forehead with mock vexation. "What kind of husband are you?"

"A damn good one," Peter snapped. "And if you haven't noticed, El and I have been happily married for quite some time now. So I'd appreciate it if you didn't berate me. Especially since your girl left _you._"

Neal froze where he stood, his blue eyes widening with shock and hurt. He seemed about to protest but clamped his mouth shut instead. His eyes narrowed and turned to ice as he stared hard at Peter.

Without another word or a backward glance, Neal spun on his heel and walked out of the shop.

Peter sighed.

He had gone too far. He knew Kate was a sensitive topic for Neal and he knew that the younger man did love the girl because he still searched for her despite her leaving him. It was the wrong thing to say and now he had hurt his partner.

Peter trotted after Neal back into the thriving crowds.

"Neal. Wait," Peter called, waving his hand at the man's receding back. "Neal, I'm sorry ok. I'm sorry."

He raised his voice in hopes that Neal could hear his apology but the dark-haired man continued to move forward. He was moving too fast and the crowd was holding Peter back. He tried to fight his way through to catch up to Neal but the crowd resisted him.

Helpless amongst the bustling people, Peter could only push his way forward and try to keep his eye on Neal. The fedora was easy enough to track but it was getting further and further away.

"Neal!" Peter yelled, no longer caring who he startled. Several people looked at him oddly but he paid them no heed.

Neal seemed to hesitate as if unsure whether to just run off without Peter or to stop and allow the agent to reach him. Then he steered away from the main current and turned around a corner.

Peter increased his pace and physically pushed his way through the disgruntled shoppers. He finally made it to the corner and turned sharply. The current moved on as if he had never been there.

Catching his breath and smoothing down his suit, Peter walked slowly forward.

He was in a hallway painted a simple white with marble tiles that made his footsteps echo eerily around him. A single door stood at the end of the hallway. EMERGENCY EXIT was written in big red letters on the door.

Neal was nowhere in sight and, since there was only one way out, Peter headed for the door.

As he drew near, he wondered why the alarm hadn't been set off when Neal had opened the door. But when he was closer, he saw that the wires connecting to the alarm had been cut.

Crafty Neal. Always ready for a sudden and hasty escape. Peter really needed to check all of Neal's pockets next time.

Peter pushed the door open and stepped outside, blinking against the sudden onslaught of sunlight. The air was cool and crisp, enveloping him in a cold blanket that made him shiver. It was quiet out here.

Since they were still on the second floor, he was standing on a sort of balcony with a wide set of stairs curving down along the side of the building: an escape in case of an emergency.

And standing at the edge of the balcony with his folded arms resting on the lowered wall was Neal, looking out over the parking lot and the shoppers scurrying to and from their cars.

Peter left out a relieved sigh. At least Neal hadn't run off.

Peter quietly approached Neal and took his place beside the ex-con, bending slightly to rest his elbows on top of the balcony wall.

They stared quietly for a long while, just listening to the distant sounds of footsteps and chatter and feeling the refreshing breeze that blew around them and made their cheeks cold.

"I'm sorry," Peter said finally, not taking his eyes off a particular red Volkswagen. "I went too far. I shouldn't have said that. It's just that –"

"Peter," Neal interrupted gently, "it's ok."

"No it's not," Peter protested, turning his head to look at Neal.

The young man was staring sadly into space, his gaze locked on nothing. The wind tousled his hair and batted at his hat.

"I know how much you care about Kate and I had no right to –"

"Peter. Please," Neal said, turning to meet Peter's troubled gaze. "It's ok."

Peter opened and closed his mouth helplessly, unsure of what to say. Neal offered him am assuring smile but the sadness in his eyes was so overwhelming. He looked as if he wanted to cry.

"Look," Peter stated firmly with new determination. "I know I'm not very good with talking about feelings but listen anyway."

Neal blinked.

"I'm sorry," Peter said with absolute sincerity. "I can't imagine what you're going through. You've been in prison for four years and now that you're out, Kate is missing. What's worse is that it's Christmas and you have no one to spend it with."

"Your right," Neal muttered apathetically with a wry, humorless smile, "You aren't good with talking about feelings."

"Neal, I'm serious," Peter said. He straightened and turned to fully face Neal. He extended his hands and grabbed hold of Neal's shoulders, turning the younger man to face him. Neal obliged, a confused frown marring his features.

"I can't imagine what it's like not to have a family. But I'm sure it feels even worse when it's Christmas," Peter said softly. Neal looked away.

Peter inhaled deeply. "That's why… we want to be your family," Peter said warmly, a gentle smile forming on his lips. "El and I, we want you to spend Christmas with us."

Neal looked up with wide eyes, all sadness washed away to be replace with complete shock.

"What?" he asked in a small voice.

"You're coming home with me," Peter replied.

"No… I couldn't," Neal stammered. He looked away, his eyes shifting towards the parking lot to avoid Peter's smiling gaze.

"Neal, look at me," Peter ordered gently.

Neal slowly returned his gaze to Peter.

"This was our choice," Peter explained. "We don't want you to be alone for Christmas."

Peter's words finally sunk in and understanding crossed Neal's eyes. A grateful smile pulled up his lips and his eyes glittered happily.

"You mean it was El's choice and she made you go along with it," Neal said snidely.

Peter smiled. Neal was back to his usual sarcastic and charming self.

"Something like that," Peter shrugged. "But if we don't get her a present, neither of us are going home."

Peter turned away from the parking lot and slid his arm around Neal's shoulders, leading the ex-con back towards the emergency exit door.

**Don't you just love a good bromance? I'm sorry if Peter seemed a little out of character but I'm sure he has a soft side under all those rough edges.**

**But what will they get El?**

**Keep reading and find out. Remember, I thrive on reviews so don't be shy.**

**Hobey-Ho**


	5. Chapter 5

**I've noticed that I'm not the only one still writing a Christmas fanfic despite New Year's coming up. That makes me feel a little less awkward. **

**Anywho, Thanks for all the reviews and favs. I'm glad you're enjoying it. But it's not over just yet. **

**First, I must give my shoutouts:**

**To ****SwingDancer****, I'm sorry but Neal doesn't get Kate. A like happy endings but I feel like I'd be cheating or something. He still gets a Christmas though, if it's any consolation. **

**And to ****ShadowWolfDagger.**** Thanks for the comment. I actually watched the season finale with my sister too. I had originally watched it alone but she just couldn't believe that Peter had Kate. She had to see to believe (but she firmly denies that Peter is a bad guy). **

A White [Collar] Christmas

_Chapter 5:_

"We're back!"

Peter and Neal shuffled into the house, both balancing several bags in their arms.

"Welcome home!" Elizabeth shouted back as she bounded into the room. She stopped as she took in the sight of the agent and the ex-con staggering into her house with their arms laden with bags of merchandise. A wide grin brightened her features.

"So much," she smiled with awe, practically skipping up to Peter. "What you'd get me?" she asked excitedly as she twirled around Peter and Neal, trying to peek into the bags.

"Not telling," Peter chastised lightly, his own smile beaming back at his wife. "You have to wait for Christmas.

Elizabeth sobered and crossed her arms over her chest with a pout. But she quickly discarded her rejected act as she helped Neal and Peter carefully lower the bags to the floor. Still, she couldn't help but peer into the bags.

"Hey," she whined, "they're already wrapped."

"Of course," Peter said nonchalantly as he took off his coat and hung it up by the door. "I knew that if I brought any open gifts, you wouldn't hesitate to look."

Elizabeth scowled at her chuckling husband but was soon smiling again as she embraced him.

"Thank you," she murmured as she touched her lips to his.

"Don't thank me yet," Peter corrected. "You haven't seen them yet."

"'Them'?" Elizabeth enthused. "I have more than one?"

Peter just laughed. Elizabeth embraced him lovingly and kissed him again.

"You have him trained pretty well," a voice added mockingly.

Elizabeth pulled away as Peter rolled his eyes. They both looked over at Neal standing casually against the door.

Elizabeth offered him a smile and winked. "You have no idea."

Neal laughed as Elizabeth came over to embrace him. Neal hugged her back lightly.

She pulled back after a moment and held him at arm's length. "It's good to you see you again," she smiled warmly.

"You too," Neal said with his own charming smile.

Elizabeth released him to look at the bags he had brought.

"Who are those for?" she asked quizzically.

"I just bought a few somethings for June and her granddaughter," Neal answered.

"That looks like a lot of somethings," Elizabeth prodded as she peered down at the beautifully wrapped packages.

"Mr. Haversham too, I hope," Peter asked knowingly.

"Yep. Him too," Neal replied.

"That was nice of you," Elizabeth said. Then she turned to Peter. "And nice of you to let him buy presents for his own friends."

"I let him go off shopping," Peter explained aloud with a shrug.

Elizabeth and Neal exchanged knowing glances.

"By himself?" she asked condescendingly.

"Not exactly," Peter admitted.

"It was fine," Neal cut in. "I managed to get everyone a gift."

"Me too?" Elizabeth asked, pointing to herself.

"Of course," Neal smiled.

Elizabeth squealed with excitement and draped her arms around Neal's neck.

"Thank you, thank you," she said.

Suddenly, a loud ding sounded from the kitchen.

"Oh! Dinner's done," Elizabeth said as she released Neal to race off back into the kitchen.

"Like a kid on Christmas day," Peter sighed as he moved to stand beside Neal.

"Yeah," Neal said.

"Well, don't just stand there, let's get these presents under the tree," Peter said, giving Neal a hard pat on the back.

"You have a tree?" Neal asked with wide eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Or course," Peter chuckled. "Come on."

Peter and Neal bundled their gifts back into their arms and navigated their way to the living room. The tree stood proudly in the corner of the room; right next to the fireplace.

Neal slowed to a stop as he gaped at the room. Peter turned back to smile at him. Then he lowered his gifts by the tree and took Neal's gifts out of the younger man's numb hands. As Peter tucked the presents under the tree – leaving June's and Mozz's presents in the bag beside the tree for Neal to take later – Neal stood in the middle of the room, taking in the sight.

The coffee table stood in the middle of the room in front of the fireplace. Several candles wrapped in candleholders that looked like small presents and ornaments lined the length of the table. Only the middle one was lit and created a scent of gingerbread cookies that soaked the entire room with its sweet aroma.

The fireplace too was decorated with figurines of Santas and snowmen. Various cards from relatives stood on the edge of the fireplace, their colorful faces beaming at Neal and Peter. Two poinsettias stood at either side of the base of the fireplace, their red color glowing softly in the light.

Snowglobes and angle-shaped music boxes decorated the other small tables and shelves in the room. Festive tablecloths covered the tables.

But most beautiful of all was the Christmas tree. It made its own world in the corner; brilliantly illuminated. Lights were wrapped around the entirety of the tree, the wires mingling with strands of sparkling tinsel. The tree was adorned heavily with decorative ornaments. Small and large round balls hung from the branches. Some were solid colors while others were mixtures. Some had glitter while others gleamed with a polished shine. Some had painted pictures of Santa and snowmen and others had pictures of places visited by Peter and Elizabeth in the past. There were other ornaments that looked like sleighs and reindeer and angles. Some had writing from family members while others looked to have been passed on from the previous generation.

Neal couldn't take his eyes off of it. The tree was unlike anything he had ever seen. Even when he did remember a time when he had a Christmas tree, it was never like this. So bright and warm with the memories of places and people.

He stepped forward with awe and respect to peer closer of the dazzling ornaments that glistened merrily back at him.

The presents were tucked under the tree's protective branches. Small and large packages of various shapes lay in wait for Christmas morning when their luscious bows would be plucked off and their meticulously wrapped paper would be torn away to reveal the gift within.

"What do you think?" Peter asked at his side, smiling warmly, "A little much? I told El to hold off on some of the decorations this year but she never listens."

"It's beautiful," Neal breathed, looking up to smile at Peter.

Peter patted the younger man on the back. "Wait 'till you see dinner."

"Speaking of which," a new voice sounded. Peter and Neal turned to see Elizabeth leaning against the door way, a kind smile etched on her lips, "dinner is ready."

Peter and Neal exchanged glances as they hurried forward, eager for the feast that awaited them.

"You can carve the turkey, Peter," Elizabeth said as she moved aside so that Peter and Neal could enter the dining room.

The smell hit them immediately. It was a symphony of scents: sweet and sharp. The smell of roasted turkey dominated the lighter scents of sweet potatoes, biscuits, and an array of cooked vegetables. But Neal could identify each one. It made his mouth water.

"What can I do?" he asked helpfully.

"It's all right Neal," Elizabeth answered, waving Neal towards the dining table. "You just sit and relax."

Neal shifted from one foot to the other. "Are you sure I can't help out?"

Elizabeth seemed to think about it for a moment more before giving Neal a wide grin. It was, after all, a family dinner. The entire family usually helped set the table. "All right. You can help me bring the dishes to the table while Peter carves the turkey."

Neal's expression brightened with the opportunity to help. He followed Elizabeth into the kitchen and returned to the table, holding a platter of steaming sweet potatoes coated with a thin layer of marshmallows. Elizabeth followed him out with a bowl of green beans cooked with fresh tomatoes.

Back and forth they went; traveling from the kitchen to the dining table to place dishes, plates and bowls of food on the table. There were hot biscuits, gravy, stuffing, – and other various sauces and dressings – chopped fruits and mixed vegetables, potatoes and yams, and so much more than three people could possibly eat.

All the while, the carving knife hummed in the background as Peter sawed off slices of turkey. The steam wafted up and coated the kitchen in a warm blanket.

When all the food had been placed on the table, Neal and Elizabeth set the table with plates and all the necessary utensils.

With their job done, they took their seats at the table, Neal sitting across from Elizabeth. Within moments, Peter entered with a flourish, bearing a tray of meat like a trophy. He took his place at the head of the table and placed the turkey in the last space available on the crowded table.

"Dinner is served," Peter said with a dramatic flick of his wrist.

"First, we say grace," Elizabeth corrected. Peter smiled at her sheepishly.

He held out his hand to her and she slipped her hand into his. Then Peter extended his hand to Neal. After an encouraging nod from Elizabeth, Neal cautiously placed his hand in Peter's for the prayer. They all bowed their heads as Peter recited a quick prayer of thanks.

With the "Amen" said, the three lifted their heads and started to fill their plates with food, smiling at one another and starting conversations that would amuse and entertain for the rest of dinner.

**A nice family dinner for Neal. And all that food! They're just lucky El's a good cook. At least, I imagine her to be one. **

***Blog-thingy moment: ****White Collar**** is said to return on January 19****th**** of 2010. Guess what? That's the very same day as my birthday. The perfect birthday present to me: a new season of ****White Collar****. ^_^**

**All right then. See you next time,  
Hobey-Ho**


	6. Chapter 6

**Another day, another chapter. So glad you enjoyed the last one. Ready for another? Here we go!**

A White [Collar] Christmas

_Chapter 6:_

"Anyone have room for dessert?" Elizabeth asked.

Neal and Peter groaned in response. They were both slumped in their chairs; holding their stomachs with painful happiness.

"No more," Peter whimpered. "I can't eat another bite."

"That was amazing," Neal said. "I want more but my stomach might pop."

Elizabeth laughed at the men's full and lazy dispositions. "All right then. I'll save it for morning."

She retreated back into the kitchen to wash the last of the dishes. Peter let out a heavy sigh and looked at Neal. The younger man looked as full and content as he. Neal smiled back dreamily.

"Much better than jail food, huh," Peter said.

"Much," Neal replied.

"Good."

Neal yawned widely and blinked rapidly to disperse the creeping feeling of sleep.

"Tired already?" Peter asked.

"It's the turkey," Neal answered snidely.

"It is pretty late," Peter grunted as he sat up. "Bedtime for the kids."

"I'm not a kid," Neal mumbled with another yawn. "And I'm not tired."

Slumped in his chair with his eyelids drifting shut, Neal did little to dissuade Peter. The younger man looked ready to fall asleep right at the table. His head bobbed as he tried to keep it up. The warm meal lulled him further towards the inviting darkness of sleep.

"Ok, off to bed with you," Peter said as he staggered out of his chair.

He moved beside Neal and helped the younger man to his feet. Together, they trudged back into the living room.

"Where'm I gonna sleep," Neal mumbled groggily. He didn't feel like driving back to June's house. He doubted that he would actually be able to make it. And Peter was probably no better behind the wheel at this moment.

"El already has the couch set up for you," Peter answered as he led Neal to the couch.

A thick blanket was draped over the back in preparation for Neal. A plush pillow rested at one end.

Peter eased Neal onto the couch and Neal sat still for a moment, staring dreamily at the tree. Elizabeth padded quietly into the room, smiling down warmly at Neal as she hooked her arm through Peter's. Neal looked up at them, shifting his gaze from one to the other.

"You've both been so kind," he murmured. "I could never replay you for all of this."

"We don't expect payment," Elizabeth cooed as she sat beside Neal. "This is just our gift to you."

"But why?" Neal asked, "Why do all this for me?"

Elizabeth looked up at her husband and then back to Neal. She gently took his hands in hers.

"Because you're part of the family," she said sincerely.

Neal's eyes widened and he looked up at Peter for confirmation. Peter nodded his agreement after a second's hesitation. He still wasn't too keen of having an ex-con he had tracked down for most of his career as part of the family, but if El accepted him, then he had little choice to do otherwise. And Neal was a good kid. All he did was prove his usefulness on the job and Peter did treat him as more of a tolerable friend than a convict.

Elizabeth offered Neal a final smile before standing. Neal lay down on the couch and brought his legs up off the floor. Elizabeth pulled the blanket down onto Neal and covered him with care.

"Good night," she whispered as she knelt to lightly kiss Neal on the forehead. "We'll see you in the morning."

Elizabeth and Peter started to turn.

"Santa's not going to come in the middle of the night and kidnap me to work in his workshop is he?" a childish voice filled with mock fear asked.

"No," Peter answered, giving Neal a sideways glance. "Santa doesn't kidnap grown men. Even if he did, why would he want you? You'd rob him dry."

Light chuckling echoed from the couch, making Peter smile. He wrapped his arm around Elizabeth's waist and, together, they started towards the stairs, turning off the lights as they exited the room.

The tree still glowed gently in the corner, enveloping the room in a soft, warm light.

As Elizabeth and Peter made their way towards the stairs leading to their room, a small "Thank you" sounded from the living room, but it was so soft, Peter was unsure if he had heard it at all.

**New Year's in tomorrow and I have yet to complete this fanfic. Oh well, there's another two more chapters to go (I think) so stay with me a bit longer. Thanks. **

**Hobey-Ho**


	7. Chapter 7

**My New Year's gift to you. Happy New Year everyone! May all your resolutions come true.**

A White [Collar] Christmas

_Chapter 7:_

"… up."

Peter mumbled sleepily and turned to lie on his back, pulling the covers up over his head.

"… Peter."

The blanket was abruptly pulled away from his face as something took hold of his shoulder, shaking him.

"Wake up!"

The sound tore Peter from sleep as his eyes snapped open in surprise. The first thing he saw were two dazzling blue eyes that sparkled down at him.

Peter let out a surprised yelp and pushed himself back and away from the face, his back against the post at the front of the bed. Elizabeth stirred beside him as she mumbled and pushed away her blankets to rub tiredly at her eyes.

Peter stared at the intruder for a moment. Then he let out a heavy sigh as he slumped against the bed post in relief.

"Damn it, Neal," he sighed, "it's too early for this."

"Come on!" Neal urged, fidgeting where he stood in front of Peter. "Wake up! Wake up! It's Christmas!"

"Christmas!" Elizabeth shouted with joy as she tossed her blankets aside and jumped out of bed. "Presents! Come on, Peter. Let's open presents!"

She ran around to the other side of the bed to stand in front of Peter, linking her arm with Neal's.

"Get up, Peter," she shouted, jumping excitedly where she stood, making Neal jerk up and down with the motion. "Hurry up."

"All right, all right," Peter grunted as he moved the blankets aside and slowly got out of bed. He stretched with a wide yawn and silently thanked the heavens that he and El had remembered to wear their pajamas.

"I said, hurry up," Elizabeth insisted as she released Neal to grab onto Peter's arm.

Before he could react or even attempt to resist, Elizabeth was dragging him out of the room and down the stairs with Neal running after them.

They ran all the way to the living room. As soon as the tree was in view, Elizabeth released her prey and Peter stumbled to a stop as Neal and Elizabeth dropped to their knees before the tree. The presents under the tree twinkled back at them invitingly.

Peter calmly took his seat on the couch, smiling down at Neal and Elizabeth as they gazed at the presents.

"All right," he said, "you may begin."

Elizabeth reached forward and grabbed the first present that she saw. She quickly read the name on the tag aloud, "Elizabeth. It's mine."

With an excited flourish, she ripped the paper away and quickly opened the box. She pulled out a golden picture frame that was laced with silver.

"Oh, Peter," Elizabeth said with awe as she gazed at the picture in the frame. "It's our wedding."

The picture was of Peter and Elizabeth standing in front of the cake. The photo had been taken right before a kiss and Peter and Elizabeth were frozen in time with their eyes gazing at each other and warm smiles on their faces.

"It's beautiful," Elizabeth said, tracing her finger along the edge of the picture. She sat up ad turned to hug Peter from the floor.

"Thank you," she murmured.

Peter looked up to look at Neal. An "I-told-you-so" expression was drawn smugly on Neal's face. Ok, so maybe an old picture was a good idea. Peter nodded his thanks just as Elizabeth pulled away to return her attention to the tree. She pulled out another gift.

"Here's my gift for you," she said, handing the brightly colored box to Peter.

He took it and tore the paper away under the expectant watch of Neal and Elizabeth's eyes.

From the box he took out a new suit shirt and a more casual shirt. Of simple design, the shirts were soft and surely comfortable.

"Thanks, El," Peter said, folding the shits back into the box.

Elizabeth smiled brightly at him and then handed him another box. "And this is from Neal."

"From Neal?" Peter asked with a raised brow in Neal's direction. The younger man just smiled, waiting for Peter to open the gift.

Peter wasted no time unwrapping the gift and soon he was holding a silken tie between his fingers. The tie was smooth and long, coming down to a perfect point at the end. It was a glossy black. Silken strands of white thread that gleamed like silver layered the tie in diagonal lines that trailed from the top to the bottom of the tie. Strands of red criss-crossed around the white.

Peter held up the tie to the light as Elizabeth complimented its color. He lowered the tie to look at Neal with wide eyes.

"Where did you –" he started.

"Found it in some shop," Neal shrugged. "Thought you might like it."

"I do," Peter replied.

Neal just smiled. Then he plucked a small box out from under the tree and handed it to Elizabeth. "And this is for you."

Elizabeth looked to Peter with a mixture of joy and surprise as she took the box from Neal. It was adorned in a simple red bow that she untied with ease. She opened the lid and gasped.

Carefully, she unfurled a necklace out of the box and held it out before her. She smiled in delight.

Peter frowned.

The thin chain was made of twisting silver that sparkled when it caught the light. Elizabeth brought it closer to peer at the small diamonds set in the chain. She gently placed her hand under the pendant to better examine it. The pendant was a beautiful flower with silver petals that also had diamonds in it. The middle of the flower contained a large red ruby.

"Oh, Neal," Elizabeth breathed, placing her hand over her heart. "It's beautiful." She looked up at him with a wide grin. "I love it."

She moved closer to embrace him. But Neal was looking up at Peter with an annoyingly devilish smirk.

Peter was fuming. It was the exact same necklace he had shown Neal. It was the exact same necklace Neal had advised him not to buy. And now, that exact same necklace was in Elizabeth's hand courtesy of Neal. The back-stabbing little…

"Isn't it beautiful?" Elizabeth giggled, waving the necklace in front of Peter's face.

"Fantastic," he answered through gritted teeth.

Neal's shoulders were shaking from his suppressed laughter.

"And this is for Neal," Elizabeth interrupted, shoving a rather large box into Neal's hands.

He stopped his teasing to gaze down at the box with wide, surprised eyes.

"From Peter," Elizabeth added with a coy smile.

Neal's eyes flashed at Peter before returning the box. With hesitant hands, he removed the paper and opened the box.

He looked up at Peter, dumbstruck, with his mouth slightly agape. Peter smiled encouragingly.

With extreme care, Neal pulled a fedora hat out of the box. Black with a black band etched with white, the hat reflected in Neal's wide eyes.

"You bought it," he said slowly in awe.

"Knew you wanted it," Peter explained.

Neal tore his eyes away from the hat he had appraised only several hours before to look at Peter. The agent was smiling back at him. Neal's own lips turned up in a wide grin.

"Thank you," he said with complete sincerity.

"Well, the way you were looking at it, I couldn't just leave it," Peter said, rubbing the back of his neck.

Neal smile lingered on him for a moment more as Elizabeth fished another box out from under the tree.

"Oh," she giggled, "another present from Peter."

She opened it quickly to reveal a small box similar to the one Neal's gift had been. Already anticipating something wonderful, Elizabeth opened the box and let out a soft gasp.

She pulled out a golden locket hanging on a chain of intertwining gold and silver. With shaking hands, she opened the locket to reveal a message printed into the metal.

"'To my dear Elizabeth, the one woman who stands at my side no matter what. I love you'," Elizabeth read aloud. She looked up at Peter with a quivering lip and misty eyes.

"I love you too," she said and embraced him fiercely. She pulled away slightly to press her lips against his.

"Hey, there's one more," Neal's voice sounded.

Elizabeth shifted to sit in Peter's lap, her head resting against his as they watched Neal examine the name tag on the present.

"And it's for me," Neal said, looking up at Peter an Elizabeth.

Without waiting for approval – for none was needed – Neal opened the gift and pulled out a picture frame made of dark, polished wood with a golden border lining its interior. His eyes widened as he stared at the picture of Peter and Elizabeth. Their bodies entwined in a hug, they smiled up at Neal warmly.

Neal looked up at Peter and Elizabeth, as they smiled back at him from where they sat holding each other.

"Thanks," he said. No hint of sarcasm or mockery echoed in his voice.

"Come on," Elizabeth said suddenly, standing and pulling Peter to his feet. She wrapped her arms around him and then extended one hand to Neal. "Group hug everyone."

Peter blanched and gripped Elizabeth's waist tightly with his hands. "What?"

"A group hug," Elizabeth repeated matter-of-factly.

"You guys go on without me," Neal said with a small chuckle as he rose to his feet.

"No. This is a family Christmas and you're part of the family. Now come here," Elizabeth ordered.

Neal hung back hesitantly, his hands in his pockets. He looked from Elizabeth to Peter, his eyes lingering unsteadily on the latter.

Peter didn't feel like sharing a family hug with Neal. The ex-con was still an ex-con.

And yet, Neal had proven to be so much more. He was loyal and – while not entirely trustworthy – still somewhat honest. He followed each job through to the end and looked out for Peter, like a real partner. And, of course, Peter had Neal's back on most cases: making sure the young man stayed out of trouble.

In a way, Neal had already become part of Peter's family of FBI agents in the White Collar crime district. He was the brother that everyone found annoying but tolerated because, in a pinch, he was always there.

Slowly, Peter's hand extended towards Neal.

Neal took a step back in shock as he looked at the two hands extended invitingly towards him. Again his gaze shifted from Elizabeth and Peter. Then he moved forward.

Elizabeth and Peter caught him around the shoulders and pulled him closer into the hug. Slowly, Neal brought up his hands to rest lightly on Elizabeth and Peter's backs.

"Merry Christmas, Neal," Elizabeth whispered as she gave Neal a quick peck on the cheek.

Neal smiled at her and then looked expectantly at Peter. "You gonna give me a kiss too," he asked teasingly, turning his untouched cheek to Peter.

Peter pulled away abruptly, earning collective laughter from Neal and Elizabeth.

"Very funny," Peter said defensively, straightening his pajamas indignantly. "Isn't it time for you to go home now?"

"Peter Burke," Elizabeth chastised, shooting Peter a warning glare.

Peter recoiled.

"No, he's right," Neal cut in quickly. "June will probably be wondering where I am and Mo – Mr. Haversham is probably already sitting in my room waiting for me."

He smiled pleadingly at Elizabeth and she exhaled in a compliant sigh.

"All right," she said. "Wish June and Mr. Haversham a merry Christmas for me."

"Will do," Neal nodded. "And thank you, for everything."

He gathered up his gifts and picked up his bag of presents for June and Mozz. Followed by Peter and Elizabeth, he made his way to the front door. Peter stepped ahead and opened it for him.

All three stepped outside to gaze at the white blanket of snow that covered the ground. Soft flakes of snow drifted lazily down from the thick clouds overhead.

"Well, what do you know," Elizabeth breathed with a smile. "It's a white Christmas."

**From movies and shows set in New York that I've seen in the past, it snowed. So, I hope my writing is accurate in the case of it snowing.**

**This is absolutely my favorite chapter of this story. It was so fun to write, making Neal the kid eager to wake his parents and open gifts.**

**And yes, he got the hat.**

**One more chapter to go now. I'll see ya soon.  
Hobey-Ho **


	8. Chapter 8

**The final chapter. **

**I'm glad you all enjoyed Neal's childish early morning Christmas. And also glad you liked that he got the hat. **

**Thank you so much for reading. **

A White [Collar] Christmas

_Chapter 8:_

Peter tenderly hung the shirts Elizabeth had given him in the closet with care. He turned back to the bed where the tie Neal had given him lay; neatly folded.

A small white slip of fabric peeked out from under the black cloth.

Curious, Peter picked up the tie and peered closer at the white sheet. It had been manually sewn into the interior of the tie, hidden from view behind the exterior of the tie.

Peter looked down at the fabric quizzically and saw that words had been scribbled in with tedious care. He read it.

_Thought you might need a new lucky tie. – Your partner, Neal Caffrey._

Peter chuckled with a shake of his head.

Neal had put more thought into Peter's gift than he had originally thought. El must have told him about Peter's lucky tie. And now he had a new one; a promise from Neal. A promise he hoped would keep Neal at his side and out of trouble for a long time to come.

Peter folded the tie and placed it beside his other lucky tie.

The next time he needed a little extra luck while on a case, Peter knew which tie he would wear.

---

Neal pushed his new fedora back to stop it from sliding down over his eyes as he looked down at the two pictures before him.

One picture was that of Kate: one Mozz had found for him in the old apartment and given to Neal as a Christmas present. It was a picture of Kate smiling while sitting on a swing at the park. Neal had taken it a long time ago, when Kate had been in his life.

The second photo stared back at him from a gleaming frame: the smiling faces of Peter and Elizabeth.

He was having trouble deciding on whether or not to replace the Burke's photo with Kate's. Kate, after all, was his real family and her picture deserved to be properly preserved in a frame. He would keep the other photo. It just wouldn't be in a frame.

Neal propped his elbows up on the table and rested his chin on his entwined hands in thought. Mozz's snoring resounded weakly from the couch as he slept off the present Neal had given him. Chances were that the generous gift would backfire as a hangover in the morning.

Neal lifted his thumb to bite the edge of his finger in deep contemplation. At last, he made his decision.

With expert hands, he removed the photo of the Burkes from the frame. But before he could replace the photo with Kate's, his eyes caught something scribbled on the back of the photo.

He picked up the picture of Elizabeth and Peter and turned it over. On the white underbelly of the photo, a message had been written in the corner. He read it.

_Merry Christmas from your family. – Elizabeth and Peter Burke._

Neal gazed at the writing. He flipped the picture over to examine the smiling faces that had fed him and presented him with gifts only hours before.

A family huh? He liked the thought of it. Maybe Kate wasn't the only family he had. It couldn't hurt to have another.

Neal smiled down at the picture and then carefully returned it to the frame. It was just as valuable as the picture of Kate and needed to be preserved as well. He would just go out and buy another frame for Kate's photo later.

Neal placed the picture frame back on the desk and put Kate's photo beside it: together.

His family.

**SwingDancer****, I hope you're pleased. While I couldn't give Kate directly to Neal, I figured a picture that he could have and revere was good enough.**

**And that was the end. Sweet yeah? I really enjoyed writing this fic and, judging by all the hits and reviews, you've enjoyed reading it. **

**So Merry belated ChristmaHanaKwanzakkah to you all!**

**Until next time,  
Hobey-Ho!**


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